Frisky Pete.

[Mike Griffin]

Here is an OTS design that Eric Rule and I have been kicking around for a while and thought about kitting.  The Frisky Pete. 
So, what do you guys think?  Think you might want a kit of this beauty?  Let me know.

Sincere thanks to Bob Hunt for letting me use this picture of his Frisky Pete.  For some reason I want to keep calling it Sneaky Pete. 

Mike

PS - Click on picture to enlarge it

[john e. holliday]

I could use a replacement for the ISW that is no more.


ISW=International Stunt Winner that was a Walter Umland kit.

[Mike Griffin]

I could use a replacement for the ISW that is no more.


ISW=International Stunt Winner that was a Walter Umland kit.

Thank you Doc.  I appreciate it.

Mike

[bob whitney]

I have been looking at Bobs plans and wouldn't mind a short kit

[Randy Cuberly]

I saw Bob fly the Frisky Pete several times at VSC and it was a very impressive little airplane.  Of course most of what Bob does is impressive!

Randy Cuberly

[Mike Griffin]

I have been looking at Bobs plans and wouldn't mind a short kit

If you can hang on for a little while Bob until I get some more responses back, we will try and fulfill that for you.  I know Eric has to draw the CAD files but that should not take long.

I had planned to offer the kit with all laser cut parts needed, a plan and a landing gear and I guess a canopy.  The builder would supply his own sticks and sheeting and control hardware.  We could offer a hardware package as an option but a lot of people like to furnish their own hardware.

Thank you for the response.

Mike

[Mike Griffin]

I saw Bob fly the Frisky Pete several times at VSC and it was a very impressive little airplane.  Of course most of what Bob does is impressive!

Randy Cuberly

Hey Randy

Bob told me it was a good flying plane.  I just thought it was a good looking OTS model...then again, I am old too

Mike

[peabody]

Tom Neibuhr and Bob Hunt both built Petes 
Bob used his "lost Foam" method, which, I bet, made for an accurate wing.....it's kinda tough to make from plans.

Have fun!

[Vincent Judd]

Bob must have temporarily been out of copper paint that day.   

[peabody]

I believe that Bob used a Hampshire Fox 25?

[Sean McEntee]

    I built one as well.  Got a set Bob’s plans for Christmas one year and built one in 39 days for VSC 2012 (quite a feat since I was in Gray Eagle school for 10 hours a day  ).  It didn’t come out so light—around 29oz—due to the short suspense and I was forced to work with what wood I had on hand.  It was also my first poly-and-dope finish and that part didn’t come out that great either. 

    Having said that, it is a really cool looking and honest flying airplane in my eyes.  Powered it with an LA25 and flew it on 67’x.015 and flew it fast due to the weight.  Won a few OTS contests and even got a classic win!  I’m currently working on another.  The only snag to building from plans is that Sig no longer makes bubble canopies, which the plans called for an 11” canopy.

     Mike, wish you had posted this about 6 months ago!  Ill take a kit to add to the stash.

[Mike Griffin]

    I built one as well.  Got a set Bob’s plans for Christmas one year and built one in 39 days for VSC 2012 (quite a feat since I was in Gray Eagle school for 10 hours a day  ).  It didn’t come out so light—around 29oz—due to the short suspense and I was forced to work with what wood I had on hand.  It was also my first poly-and-dope finish and that part didn’t come out that great either. 

    Having said that, it is a really cool looking and honest flying airplane in my eyes.  Powered it with an LA25 and flew it on 67’x.015 and flew it fast due to the weight.  Won a few OTS contests and even got a classic win!  I’m currently working on another.  The only snag to building from plans is that Sig no longer makes bubble canopies, which the plans called for an 11” canopy.

Thank you Sean...duly noted....

Mike
     Mike, wish you had posted this about 6 months ago!  Ill take a kit to add to the stash.

[Steve Lotz]

Calhoun Smith design?

[Sean McEntee]

Calhoun Smith design?

Correct

[Steve_Pollock]

Mike, the plans call for 2-3/8" wheels.  Great Planes, Robart, Dubro, and Dave Brown list 2-1/4" and 2-1/2" wheels but not 2-3/8".  Do you have a source for these wheels, or do you plan to modify the wheel pants?  Just curious.

[Mike Griffin]

Mike, the plans call for 2-3/8" wheels.  Great Planes, Robart, Dubro, and Dave Brown list 2-1/4" and 2-1/2" wheels but not 2-3/8".  Do you have a source for these wheels, or do you plan to modify the wheel pants?  Just curious.

Steve I had not even noticed that.  If we kit it we will have to make adjustments for the wheel pants.  Thank you for bringing that to my attention.

Mike

[Roy DeCamara]

Mike  The motor mounts need to be lowered somewhat to accommodate modern motors.  The K&B 24, 29 and 32 has mounting lugs about 3/16 inch higher than the C/L of the crankshaft as was also common with the O&R motors of the day.  That is if you intend to stay true the model as designed by Cal Smith.  In any event,  I'll take a kit if you decide to do it.

[Sean McEntee]

Mike, the plans call for 2-3/8" wheels.  Great Planes, Robart, Dubro, and Dave Brown list 2-1/4" and 2-1/2" wheels but not 2-3/8".  Do you have a source for these wheels, or do you plan to modify the wheel pants?  Just curious.

    2 1/4" wheels work just fine.  Plenty of options out there

[peabody]

Hi Bob....doesn't the Pete have a screwy spar? Seems to me that the lost foam would be about the only way to replicate it easily?

I remember your Pete....flew well at a "spirited" clip.

Have fun

[eric rule]

Bob;

You know I really like you as a person and certainly I respect you as one of  the "innovative thinkers" but don't you think that you may have hijacked Mike's post?

With deepest respect
Eric

[Mike Griffin]

  I am going to pass on this one.  If anyone wants to build a Frisky Pete, there is adequate information within the thread to secure materials to do so.

EDIT:  The kit will be produced...see post below.

Mike

[Jason Greer]

Bob, I enjoyed reading your history on this model.  Thanks for sharing.

Jason

[john e. holliday]

Bobby I too enjoyed reading about your Frisky Pete.   Eric must have forgot his morning coffee.  I thank Mike for even considering a kit.   

[Joseph Patterson]

        Mike and Eric, I hope y'all have a good response on the "Frisky Pete". You can put me down for one. The F.P. and the Feno are my favorite OTS planes. I plan to build them both real soon.
        Doug

[Mike Griffin]

Due to the positive response of messages I have been receiving about the possibility of a Frisky Pete kit, I have conferred with Eric and I have decided to go ahead and produce the kit.  I first want to thank everyone who called and messaged me encouraging me to go ahead with the production of the kit and that meant the world to me.

Eric has some CAD work to finish up and then we will be ready to start cutting kits.  To keep the kit affordable for everyone, the kit will include all the laser cut parts needed to build the model, a landing gear, a canopy (if we can still find them) and a full sized construction plan.  You will need to furnish sheeting, spars and the control hardware of your choice.

Give me a little time to get with Eric and get everything in place and in the meantime, those of you who want to reserve a kit who have not already done so, either send me a PM or e mail me at mikegriffin1947@gmail.com. 

I will do a test build on the prototype of the model to make sure everything is good before we ship it to you.  This is imperative to catch any flaws before they reach you.

Thank you and let me know as soon as possible if you want a kit.

Mike

[Ara Dedekian]

          Bob

             Enjoyed the article. I found your upgrades and mods to the construction of the 'Pete especially helpful. Thanks for sharing.

          Ara

[Mike Griffin]

Thanks, Ara, Jason, and Doc for the comments.

It seems I may have rained on Mike and Eric's parade a bit by posting my story about the Frisky Pete. That was not my intention. I really posted that story as a subliminal way to alert Mike and Eric to the fact that the Frisky Pete's tank compartment in stock form is inadequate for flying the OTS pattern with two laps between maneuvers. Substantial internal re-design and restructuring is required to make the model accept a bigger tank and also be adequately strong. They may have already figured that out... It would have been a shame to have produced a great kit of that model and then not be able to use it in OTS competition. Sorry to both of them if I offended.

These forums are double edged swords. If someone on a thread asks a question that may conflict with the initial poster's intentions, and then someone answers the question from personal experience, the result can be hurt feelings. For the record, I do not, and will not, ever produce a kit for the Frisky Pete. If someone wants to build a wing for his or her kit model using the Lost-Foam fixtures, I do not see a conflict. The Frisky Pete wing - as I mentioned earlier in this thread - can be built perfectly well without the use of any type of jig. Due to its constant chord wing, it can be built with the TE flat on the building board.

In my way of apologizing for any transgression, I'll be most pleased to publish a prominent product release announcement for the new Frisky Pete kit in my Model Aviation column.

In the future if anyone thinks that I may be able to answer a question about anything related to building or flying, please contact me personally. I've had enough forum strife to last me the rest of my life, and I'll not post on such subjects here ever again.

Later - Bob Hunt

Thank you Bob, I appreciate your post very much and your input about your past experience in building a flying the Frisky Pete is appreciated.  We still have some work to do on the CAD files and then I will do a test build before we release the kit.  We want to make sure we have covered all the bases to make the kit easy to build while maintaining the characteristics and looks of the original.  Also, thank you for the offer of the product release when we are ready to go.

We will offer it as a short kit with an option for updated control hardware if desired.

I will make an announcement when we are ready to start shipping kits.

Kindest regards,
Mike

[Roy DeCamara]

It's to bad ol'e  Cal didn't design the "Pete" with a inverted engine. Tank problem would go away.  Would that be a legal mod???

[Randy Cuberly]

It's to bad ol'e  Cal didn't design the "Pete" with a inverted engine. Tank problem would go away.  Would that be a legal mod???

No!  However cutting the leading edge of the wing away, inside the fuselage, and moving the bell crank back to provide room for a real tank would.

It would make a really cute little airplane with an inverted engine however!

 

Randy Cuberly

[peabody]

Bob flew his Pete at a GSCB Anniversary of OTS (20th?)…he came out to practice and I mentioned that Tom had done a clone to his Fox for me....


Bob explained that sometimes the Fox was reluctant to start, and demonstrated how he worked around that.

He explained that the plan was to flip it until it started, pinch the spinner and then give a signal immediately, flip it again and PRESTO! It started within the time....

On Bob's demo, he flipped it, it started, he pinched it and it stopped....only to catch FIRE! Much huffing and puffing and the fire was out, with very little char....I told him that I didn't know if I could do that.....

[Mike Griffin]

No!  However cutting the leading edge of the wing away, inside the fuselage, and moving the bell crank back to provide room for a real tank would.

It would make a really cute little airplane with an inverted engine however!

 

Randy Cuberly

Eric has already addressed and fixed this problem.  I will be announcing some really good enhancements that will be in the kit very soon.  Eric is close to finishing the CAD.

Mike

[Randy Cuberly]

Bob flew his Pete at a GSCB Anniversary of OTS (20th?)…he came out to practice and I mentioned that Tom had done a clone to his Fox for me....


Bob explained that sometimes the Fox was reluctant to start, and demonstrated how he worked around that.

He explained that the plan was to flip it until it started, pinch the spinner and then give a signal immediately, flip it again and PRESTO! It started within the time....

On Bob's demo, he flipped it, it started, he pinched it and it stopped....only to catch FIRE! Much huffing and puffing and the fire was out, with very little char....I told him that I didn't know if I could do that.....

Dam Peabody...Now that's FUNNY!   

Randy Cuberly

[Sean McEntee]

Here’s a few pics of the Pete I’m building, to show just how short the nose is and how tight of a squeeze it is to get everything in there.  I wanted to carry enough fuel to do the full pattern if the situation called for, and the homemade tank carries just enough fuel to get it all in.  The foredeck formers were replaced with 1/32” ply about 1/4” thick.  This give enough clearance for such a big tank. 

Another bit of an issue is very narrow clearance for the push rod/elevator horn linkage.  Currently working that situation.  Looks like a 4-40 clevace is the best route.

[Randy Cuberly]

Hi Sean,
what size OS is that?

Randy Cuberly

[Sean McEntee]

Hi Sean,
what size OS is that?

Randy Cuberly

LA 25

[john e. holliday]

Lot of engine for that little plane.      Keep us posted as I have Fox 19 I plan on using if the kit comes thru.

[Mike Griffin]

Lot of engine for that little plane.      Keep us posted as I have Fox 19 I plan on using if the kit comes thru.

Doc the kit is being produced.  Eric is cutting a prototype for me to build next week.  That 19 should work really well also.

Mike

[Mike Griffin]

Eric Rule called last night and he has mailed me the Frisky Pete test kit to build and I should have it by the first of the week.  I will post some pictures of the build as I do it.  Once I have determined that everything is as it should be, I will release the kits for shipping.  Thank you for the orders you have placed so far and please go ahead and get on the list for the first kit run if you want a kit.

Mike

[Joseph Patterson]

   Tank U too much Mike!
      Doug
           

[john e. holliday]

Am I first?

[Mike Griffin]

Here are couple of pictures of the start of the test build on the kit.